The invasive species from east Asia has now established itself in the Mississippi, according to a study co-authored by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and published in the journal Biological Invasions. This finding is significant, as it marks the first time that a population of black carp has been found to be established, naturally breeding and living through to adulthood, in the U.S. “This is the most comprehensive study and the first research to provide strong evidence that they are present and sustaining on their own,” Patrick Kroboth, a research fish biologist with the USGS and co-author of the study, said in a USGS statement....

The worm, Amynthas spp, is native to East Asia but is believed to have been brought into the U.S. as fishing bait. Scientists warn they feed on organic matter in soil, eating many of the crucial nutrients that plants, fungi and animals require to thrive. When the species was first introduced to the country it was limited to regions along the U.S. coasts, but has since spread inland, KTVI reported....

Sarandon, an Oscar-winning actor and longtime political activist, was speaking Thursday at the launch of UNICEF’s flagship report “The State of the World’s Children 2001.” Its central message: that governments around the world must do more to promote the development of children under the age of three. The annual survey includes the agency’s customary snapshot of living conditions for the youngest members of society in different parts of the world....

It’s a timely question. Plans to reinvigorate the IRA, or something like it, are sprouting everywhere. President Bill Clinton wants to let savers use their IRAs, with no tax penalty, to pay for education and a home, The Republicans’ “Contract With America” proposes a similar American Dream Savings Account. Sens. Pete Domenici and Sam Nunn plan to introduce a bill that is even more generous to thrifty families. It would let you trim your yearly tax bill by as much as you save – with no limit on the amount....

After the hearing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said that Pelosi was “full of lies,” adding that “U.S. politicians should stop using the Olympics to play despicable political tricks.” Sadly, it appears that the International Olympic Committee (IOC)—one of whose vice presidents is Chinese Communist Party member Yu Zaiqing—is now in bed with China, deeming human rights an off-limits “political” issue in order to save face for China and itself....

iOS 15 launched earlier this week and introduced several new features, such as an improved Apple Maps, a “Shared with You” section that helps you keep track of files that have been sent over messages, and various enhancements for the FaceTime app. In addition to all of this, the Apple Wallet was also significantly expanded. How Does the Apple Wallet Work? For those who are not aware, Apple Wallet enables you to store digital copies of things like event tickets, ID cards, boarding passes, credentials and even car keys on your iOS device (either an iPhone or Apple Watch)....

9 p.m. ET, ESPN Line: West Virginia -5 Total: 158 MORE: College hoops live odds | ATS standings Last 10: Iowa State 6-4 (5-5 ATS) West Virginia 5-5 (5-5 ATS) Effective FG percentage: Iowa State 57.0 (6th), West Virginia 49.8 (183th) EFG% against: Iowa State 49.9 (173rd), West Virginia 47.5 (80th) Analysis: Iowa State is 2-5 ATS in its last seven games overall. The Cyclones are 1-4 ATS in their last five games vs....

“Crosswalk art has a potential to compromise pedestrian and motorist safety by interfering with, detracting from, or obscuring official traffic control devices. The art can also encourage road users, especially bicycles and pedestrians, to directly participate in the design, loiter in the street, or give reason to not vacate the street in an expedient or predictable manner,” the FHWA said in a letter sent to Ames City Manager Steve Schainker dated September 5....

So does this mean people are truly willing to spend upwards of $1,000 just to play Fortnite on an Apple device? Not necessarily. Scroll through the listings, and you’ll find that the vast, vast majority of them appear to have no bids at all despite their high sticker price. After all, not only would it be a colossal waste of money to spend that much on a game available on just about every platform outside iOS, but those looking for mobile Fortnite thrills could easily spend a couple hundred dollars on an Android tablet to enjoy a similar small-screen experience....

The talks have been ongoing in Vienna, Austria for weeks, with the unofficial goal for the U.S. to rejoin the agreement before Iran holds national elections in June. Speaking to reporters ahead of discussions, Araghchi said that good progress had been made on an agreement between Iran and the senior diplomats from China, Russia, Germany, France and the United Kingdom serving as a go-between with U.S. delegates. Araghci said key issues still remain in contention, and those will need to be discussed with Iranian government officials not involved in the talks....

The victory of hardliner president-elect Ebrahim Raisi in June’s election has been broadly interpreted as an entrenchment of the regime’s more authoritarian and zealous sentiment. MEK members told Newsweek in a series of interviews that Raisi’s election vindicates their skepticism of the supposed battle between reformers and hardliners in Iran. For them, anyone playing the political game is part of the problem. And the only solution is to tear down the Islamic Republic entirely....

Mohsen Shekari was hanged on Thursday morning following his death sentence on October 23, according to the news agency Mizan Online. The 23-year-old was reportedly convicted of “waging war against God” for stabbing a member of the Basij paramilitary force during a protest in Tehran on September 25. It was the first execution connected to the protests publicly reported by state media. A Revolutionary Court was told Shekari had used a machete to attack a member of the Basij force, which is linked to the feared Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) often deployed to quell protests....

He appears to be a good position to pull through with the pledge. Ebrahim Raisi, an influential cleric who is Iran’s top judge, won a widely anticipated landslide victory Friday against the three opponents who remained in the race, none of whom managed to come close to Raisi’s nearly 62% share of the vote. The winner’s proximity to the powerful Revolutionary Guard and Iran’s top authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, made him an easy favorite, but a historically low turnout and reservations over his conservative outlook belied his popular pledge to combat corruption and poverty plaguing the country....

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who was recently sanctioned by the State Department for speaking on behalf of his government, tweeted Tuesday that “74 yrs after US became first & ONLY regime to deploy a nuclear weapon—on a city, designed to maximize casualties—it is STILL targeting civilians.” He argued: “This time, with #EconomicTerrorism, violating a historic nuclear deal & punishing those who seek to adhere to it.” Since pulling out of a 2015 nuclear deal limiting Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief last year, President Donald Trump has imposed heavy economic restrictions on the Islamic Republic, frustrating the deal’s other signatories—China, the European Union, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom....

In a call Thursday with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif expressed his country’s “readiness to help achieve peace and a lasting solution to this conflict within the framework of the Iran-Turkey-Russia regional initiative,” according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry. This track, Zarif said, would complement ongoing consultations held by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Minsk Group, of which Russia is joined by the U....

Carlos Queiroz’s side face one of the shortest travels from any of the competing nations, as the World Cup heads to the Middle East for the first time. They will be backed by a horde of travelling fans as a result. After finishing as the top Asian qualifier for the competition, confidence has quietly grown over Iran being able to pull off an upset. As part of Group B, alongside England, Wales and the United States, Iran will fancy their chances of potentially ending their last-16 frustration....

Chelsea are the anti-Arsenal And that’s exactly what Dundalk’s Paddy Barrett did as his team-mates were snapped ahead of the start of the new League of Ireland campaign. As the photographer snapped his camera, the 23-year-old drew inspiration from Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba and ‘dabbed’ as the rest of his colleagues merely smiled. He may have thought he got away with it too, though it was later shared on Twitter for the world to see....

Coleman underwent surgery on Saturday after suffering the injury in Republic of Ireland’s 0-0 World Cup qualifying draw against Wales on Friday. Taylor’s tackle 21 minutes from the end of the match resulted in a red card for the Aston Villa man, a challenge which left the Everton defender with a fractured right tibia and fibula. Taylor ‘despondent’ after horror tackle The tackle even drew attention from Kenny, who is in Rome for a European Union summit....

In a video posted to Twitter by Dr. Cara Augustenborg, an assistant professor at University College Dublin, the protesters can be seen waving Ukrainian flags and chanting that Russian President Vladimir Putin “is a liar.” In several other videos posted to Twitter, the protesters can be seen surrounding the car and chanting “go home.” The video also shows one protester draping a Ukrainian flag over the car as it is attempting to travel toward the embassy....

That doesn’t matter so much now. After this summer’s conflicts–during which militants tunneled from Gaza to Israel to capture and kill Israeli soldiers–the idea has gained new currency. Nervous Israelis are eager to put distance between themselves and their enemies. “I don’t believe in coexistence,” hard-liner Avigdor Lieberman, who just agreed to join Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s coalition, told NEWSWEEK recently. Neither do a growing number of his countrymen; polls show strong support for his hawkish views....